Summer Knight (novel)
Encyclopedia
Summer Knight is a 2002 contemporary fantasy
novel by author Jim Butcher
. It is the fourth novel in The Dresden Files
, which follows the character of Harry Dresden
, present-day Chicago's only professional wizard.
. Dresden, struggling with curing Susan of her vampirism infection, is approached by Mab, the Winter Queen. Mab purchased Dresden’s debt from his fairy godmother, Leanansidhe. Queen Mab tells Dresden he can pay off his debt by doing three favors. The first favor is for him to find the murderer of the Summer Knight Reuel and recover his stolen mantle, declaring Dresden her chosen Emissary. Dresden refuses her request, but is forced by the White Council to accept as his Trial, else be stripped of his title of wizard and handed over to the Red Court vampires as a peace offering.
Dresden finds Elaine, his former fellow apprentice and lover, who is the Emissary of the Summer Court and heavily indebited to Aurora, the Summer Lady. Dresden goes to Reuel’s funeral, looking for a group of teenage changelings who were the Knights friends, but they flee and attack, believing him to be in service to Winter. Dresden gets information and a guide to the Winter and Summer Ladies. Dresden’s interview with the sadistic Winter Lady convinces him that she did not kill the Summer Knight.
Approached by the changelings to find their friend Lily, after Dresden tells Meryl and Fix that he will look for Lily. Dresden discovers Elaine in the back seat of his car, dying of multiple stab wounds. He follows Elaine’s delirious advice to take her to the Summer Lady, Aurora. Aurora heals Elaine, and briefly comforts Dresden. She is not forthcoming with any details on Reuel’s murder or Lily’s disappearance. Instead, she explains that the death of the Summer Knight and the theft of his mantle of power shifted the power balance in favor of Winter. Summer must now attack Winter at Midsummer to maintain control over their remaining power.
Dresden heads north to an isolated spot on Lake Michigan and summons his fairy godmother, Leanansidhe. Dresden tells his godmother that he needs to see the four Queens of Fae. Leanansidhe instead takes him transported to an ethereal Chicago-over-Chicago and a great Stone Table. This sacrificial stone that maintains the balance between the Winter and Summer Sidhe. The power of blood spilled upon that table will change the balance of power between the Courts. Leanansidhe says that's all she can do for him and disappears.
Dresden still needs to speak with the Mothers of both Courts, and tracks Elaine to O’Hare, as he must be invited to the Queens, convincing Elaine to call in a favor. Rather than provide him with answers, the Queen Mothers goad him into answering his own questions, that Aurora is the only Queen capable of stealing the Summer Knight's mantle, and therefore one of his killers. Lily, having been nearby, captured the mantle of the Knight, being the closest Summer fae, and was turned to stone by Aurora, which is why no one could find either Lily or the mantle. As a reward for his correct deductions, they give him a Cloth of Unraveling and their blessings.
Victorious at last, Dresden returns to Elaine and is ambushed. When Dresden regains consciousness, he is the prisoner of Lady Aurora, the Winter Knight Lloyd Slate--and Elaine. Aurora explains that she plans to sacrifice Lily on the Tablet to give Winter the power of the Summer Knight, permanently destroying the balance and freeing humanity from the constant collateral damage of the eternal Faerie War. Elaine then binds Dresden and leaves him to drown. Recognizing the spell he and Elaine invented, Dresden easily escapes. Collecting his friends, they fight their way to the Stone Table and the Winter Queen, telling her of Aurora's plan. Dresden confronts Aurora and unleashes an army of pixies with steel box cutters--cold iron, which is deadly to the Fae.
After killing Aurora, Queen Mab congratulates Dresden on his success, and offers Dresden the mantle of the Winter Knight, which he refuses. Queen Mab grants safe passage to the White Council. Having passed his Trial, he retains his wizard accolades, and protection from the Red Court. The new Summer Lady, Lily, and her new Knight, Fix, pay Dresden a visit, and grant him a favor of Summer in thanks for his services.
Contemporary fantasy
Contemporary fantasy, also known as modern fantasy or indigenous fantasy, is a sub-genre of fantasy, set in the present day. It is perhaps most popular for its sub-genre, urban fantasy.-Definition and overview:...
novel by author Jim Butcher
Jim Butcher
Jim Butcher is a New York Times Best Selling author most known for his contemporary fantasy book series The Dresden Files. He also wrote the Codex Alera series. Butcher grew up as the only son of his parents, and has two older sisters. He currently lives in Independence with his wife, Shannon K...
. It is the fourth novel in The Dresden Files
The Dresden Files
The Dresden Files is a series of contemporary fantasy/mystery novels written by Jim Butcher.He provides a first person narrative of each story from the point of view of the main character, private investigator and wizard Harry Dresden, as he recounts investigations into supernatural disturbances in...
, which follows the character of Harry Dresden
Harry Dresden
Harry Blackstone Copperfield Dresden is a fictional detective and wizard. He was created by Jim Butcher and is the protagonist of the contemporary fantasy series The Dresden Files. The series blends magic and hardboiled detective fiction...
, present-day Chicago's only professional wizard.
Plot
It's two years after the events in Storm FrontStorm Front (novel)
Storm Front is a 2000 novel by science fiction and fantasy author Jim Butcher. It is the first novel in The Dresden Files, his first published series that follows the character of Harry Dresden, professional wizard.-Plot Summary:...
. Dresden, struggling with curing Susan of her vampirism infection, is approached by Mab, the Winter Queen. Mab purchased Dresden’s debt from his fairy godmother, Leanansidhe. Queen Mab tells Dresden he can pay off his debt by doing three favors. The first favor is for him to find the murderer of the Summer Knight Reuel and recover his stolen mantle, declaring Dresden her chosen Emissary. Dresden refuses her request, but is forced by the White Council to accept as his Trial, else be stripped of his title of wizard and handed over to the Red Court vampires as a peace offering.
Dresden finds Elaine, his former fellow apprentice and lover, who is the Emissary of the Summer Court and heavily indebited to Aurora, the Summer Lady. Dresden goes to Reuel’s funeral, looking for a group of teenage changelings who were the Knights friends, but they flee and attack, believing him to be in service to Winter. Dresden gets information and a guide to the Winter and Summer Ladies. Dresden’s interview with the sadistic Winter Lady convinces him that she did not kill the Summer Knight.
Approached by the changelings to find their friend Lily, after Dresden tells Meryl and Fix that he will look for Lily. Dresden discovers Elaine in the back seat of his car, dying of multiple stab wounds. He follows Elaine’s delirious advice to take her to the Summer Lady, Aurora. Aurora heals Elaine, and briefly comforts Dresden. She is not forthcoming with any details on Reuel’s murder or Lily’s disappearance. Instead, she explains that the death of the Summer Knight and the theft of his mantle of power shifted the power balance in favor of Winter. Summer must now attack Winter at Midsummer to maintain control over their remaining power.
Dresden heads north to an isolated spot on Lake Michigan and summons his fairy godmother, Leanansidhe. Dresden tells his godmother that he needs to see the four Queens of Fae. Leanansidhe instead takes him transported to an ethereal Chicago-over-Chicago and a great Stone Table. This sacrificial stone that maintains the balance between the Winter and Summer Sidhe. The power of blood spilled upon that table will change the balance of power between the Courts. Leanansidhe says that's all she can do for him and disappears.
Dresden still needs to speak with the Mothers of both Courts, and tracks Elaine to O’Hare, as he must be invited to the Queens, convincing Elaine to call in a favor. Rather than provide him with answers, the Queen Mothers goad him into answering his own questions, that Aurora is the only Queen capable of stealing the Summer Knight's mantle, and therefore one of his killers. Lily, having been nearby, captured the mantle of the Knight, being the closest Summer fae, and was turned to stone by Aurora, which is why no one could find either Lily or the mantle. As a reward for his correct deductions, they give him a Cloth of Unraveling and their blessings.
Victorious at last, Dresden returns to Elaine and is ambushed. When Dresden regains consciousness, he is the prisoner of Lady Aurora, the Winter Knight Lloyd Slate--and Elaine. Aurora explains that she plans to sacrifice Lily on the Tablet to give Winter the power of the Summer Knight, permanently destroying the balance and freeing humanity from the constant collateral damage of the eternal Faerie War. Elaine then binds Dresden and leaves him to drown. Recognizing the spell he and Elaine invented, Dresden easily escapes. Collecting his friends, they fight their way to the Stone Table and the Winter Queen, telling her of Aurora's plan. Dresden confronts Aurora and unleashes an army of pixies with steel box cutters--cold iron, which is deadly to the Fae.
After killing Aurora, Queen Mab congratulates Dresden on his success, and offers Dresden the mantle of the Winter Knight, which he refuses. Queen Mab grants safe passage to the White Council. Having passed his Trial, he retains his wizard accolades, and protection from the Red Court. The new Summer Lady, Lily, and her new Knight, Fix, pay Dresden a visit, and grant him a favor of Summer in thanks for his services.
Plot points introduced
- Dresden's Debt to Mab: Debts can be purchased among the Fae. Harry owes a debt of three favors to Queen Mab, with two remaining at the end of the book.
- The Sidhe Court Political Structure: The Winter and Summer Courts each have a Queen Mother, the Queen who was; a reigning Queen, the Queen who is; and a Lady, the Queen who will be. They are served by a Knight, a mortal, who is chosen to receive great power. Each Court rules for half the year. Since the beginning of time, the power alternates at Midsummer and Midwinter, maintaining the balance.
- Changelings: changelings are half mortal, half Fae children who must choose between their mortal or Fae heritage.
- Pizza Lord: Toot-toot's and his followers' name for Dresden.
Returning characters
- Harry DresdenHarry DresdenHarry Blackstone Copperfield Dresden is a fictional detective and wizard. He was created by Jim Butcher and is the protagonist of the contemporary fantasy series The Dresden Files. The series blends magic and hardboiled detective fiction...
: The protagonist; professional wizard; and the emissary of the Winter Sidhe. - Lieutenant Karrin MurphyKarrin MurphyKarrin Murphy is a major character in Jim Butcher's contemporary fantasy series, The Dresden Files. The character also appears as Connie Murphy in the television series based on the novels.- Background :...
: The director of Special Investigations. - Bob: An intelligent air spirit who lives inside a skull in Dresden's sub-basement laboratory.
- Mister: Dresden's 30+ pound house cat.
- Leanansidhe: A Winter Sidhe; Dresden's faerie Godmother.
- The Alphas: A gang of college-age men and women who have werewolf abilities.
- Billy Borden: One of the Alphas; a D&D dungeonmaster.
- Georgia: One of the Alphas.
- Toot-toot: A dewdrop faerie of the wyldfae, who provides information and other assistance.
- Warden Donald Morgan: A law enforcement warden for the White Council, who has a mandate to aid the innocent and punish the guilty.
Characters introduced in this novel
- Queen Mab: The Queen of Air and Darkness; the monarch of the Court of the Winter Sidhe, the Unseelie Faeries.
- Queen Titania: The monarch of the Court of the Summer Sidhe, the Seelie Faeries
- Maeve: The Winter Lady of the Sidhe.
- Aurora: The Summer Lady of the Sidhe.
- Mother Summer: A past queen of the Summer Sidhe.
- Mother Winter: A past queen of the Winter Sidhe.
- Lloyd Slate: The Winter Knight.
- Ronald Reuel (deceased): An artist; the Summer Knight
- The White Council: The governing body of the wizarding community, which has the ultimate authority over human magic users. There is a Senior Council with exclusive voting privileges, and a supreme leader, the Merlin.
- The Merlin: The head of the White Council and the Senior Council.
- Ebenezar McCoy: Dresden’s mentor; a member of the White Council’s Senior Council.
- The Gatekeeper: A member of the White Council’s Senior Council; Mab’s "old desert fox."
- Martha Liberty: A member of the White Council’s Senior Council.
- Listens-to-Wind: A member of the White Council’s Senior Council.
- Ancient Mai: A member of the White Council’s Senior Council.
- Elaine Mallory: Dresden's childhood girlfriend; the emissary of the Summer Sidhe.
- Lily: A statuesque Changeling, who becomes the new Summer Lady.
- Fix: A mechanic; a Changeling, who becomes the new Summer Knight.
- Meryl: A Changeling, who selects membership in the Winter Court; she dies heroically.
- Ace: A Changeling, one who has not selected membership in a Sidhe Court.
- The Brownies: A group of Summer Court faeries who run a cleaning service.
Summer Knight in other media
- Summer Knight has been recorded as an audio book CD, narrated by James MarstersJames MarstersJames Wesley Marsters is an American actor and musician. Marsters first came to the attention of the general public playing the popular character Spike, a platinum-blond yobbish English vampire in the television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer and its spin-off series, Angel from 1997 to 2004...
. - This book is available as a Kindle book and a MP3 CD.
- A Hardcover Version set for release on July 07, 2009.
External links
- The first three chapters of the book are found on the author's official website.